The Importance of Comprehensive Classroom Management

The teacher is a manger. The organization he or she manages is a group of students from diverse backgrounds and with differing skills and abilities. Some are already eager learners, while others have to be awakened to the joys and satisfactions of learning. Still others have special problems that must be dealt with effectively in order for them to learn and in order to maintain an environment conducive to learning for the whole group. It's important, first, to provide students with opportunities to learn about things that interest them and then, to find ways to introduce the learning that peaks the student's interest. If the teacher can find ways to relate the topic to the student's present experience, and provide interactive learning activities that the student can actively participate in, then the student will gain motivation. The physical environment plays a role in learning too. Some students learn better in different lighting (softer or brighter), sitting at a desk or lying on the floor, with music on or in perfect silence, in a warmer or cooler place, etc. The teacher can establish areas in the room that meet these different needs and styles of learning. Students who learn better lying down, for example, could bring mats to school that can be unrolled for study time. A small tent in the corner could provide the dimmer light some students need. A radio or CD player with earphones could be allowed during study time provided it truly helps the student to learn. The importance of reasonable rules that everyone understands can hardly be overestimated. On the first or second day of school the teacher could initiate an interactive discussion with the students about why rules are needed in the classroom. Let students share a few experiences that happened when there were no rules. Then, ask them to come up with no more than five rules for classroom behavior. They could each write down a rule or two they think is important on an index card, and the teacher could then let each person read what he/she wrote down. A list could be generated on the board. Or, they could start by brainstorming a list of every rule they can think of, then evaluate, eliminate, combine (just the word respect, for example, includes many rules), and whittle them down into three to five good rules. A student with good handwriting or an artistic bent could be chosen to make a large poster with the rules, or a bulletin board for classroom display where everybody can see it. Once the students have set their classroom rules, they are invested in them. I have tried this with grades 4-7 students, and it worked very well to establish an orderly learning environment. The students took the rules more seriously because they had had a say in setting them. It teaches democracy, too. If the students do not think of something the teacher considers important, the teacher can add it to their list and explain why. However, this is unlikely. In my experience, the student's rules tend to be very good-actually, the same rules I would have made myself, only they mean more to the students since they have developed them as a group and the rules are in their own words. Lane and Wehby (2005) report that 1% of school age children have been labeled emotionally disturbed and are receiving special education services because of it. They estimate an additional 2% to 16% of U. S. students who demonstrate anti-social behavior patterns such as defiance disorders or conduct disorders. When a student is oppositional or defiant, the teacher must be careful not to respond angrily and get into a confrontation. Teachers should be aware of their own triggers so that they can control their own behavior. This will help them to avoid a confrontation. It is best to remain calm and to diffuse the student's anger before it escalates into a crisis and/or violence. If a student refuses to do a certain task, offering an alternative choice may help, and it would be a good idea for the teacher always to have alternative tasks ready just in case-alternative activities that are still learning activities. A sense of humor may be a teacher's best defense when students are uncooperative. It is better to prevent escalation than to deal with a crisis later. One way to do this is to reinforce good behavior with praise, a smile, gesture, touch, â€Å"or a pleasant comment when they display unprompted, socially appropriate behavior† (Albin, 2003). Don't wait until students are disruptive to pay attention to them! Teachers should make the effort to notice and praise good behavior and reward it. Punishment is a negative way of dealing with problematic behavior. It may provide reinforcement for bad behavior if the reason the student is misbehaving is because he/she wants attention. If a student misbehaves because he doesn't want to do his work, and then gets sent out in the hall or to the office, then he gets what he wanted, and the bad behavior is reinforced. Rewards for positive behavior, such as time to do an activity the students loves, a toy or candy, or one-on-one time with the teacher (just to talk and visit for a few minutes) makes students happy to learn and to be in school. Punishment often produces resentment, and may make the student hate school. A student who hates school is not an eager learner, so punishment can be anti-productive (Peck & Scarpati (2005). Teachers commonly deal with difficult students by restricting them-the more intense the student's needs are, the more restriction–such as placing a child's desk toward the wall (Duhaney, 2003). However, a needs-based approach is more positive and effective and suggests recourse to greater resources. Perhaps the child needs to learn appropriate ways to handle anger and aggression, more problem-solving skills, or receive feedback for appropriate behaviors. If the child has trouble with self-control, instructional strategies could include modeling, role-play, and feedback to help him stay out of fights, solve problems, express anger appropriately, and deal with frustration. Without intervention students with or at risk for behavioral disorders are liable to experience many negative outcomes both in school and outside such as impaired social relationships, academic underachievement, and discipline problems (Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005). Social skills interventions have been used and evaluated for more than 25 years, but their efficacy continues to be questioned. Researchers suggest that social skills training makes only a modest impact; however, most educators agree that not doing anything is worse. The ability to adapt and modify instruction is crucial to effectively educating these children. Before starting an intervention, it would be wise to gather information about the student, such as why, where and when he uses the particular behavior. Identify what social, affective, cultural, or contextual elements might be at work, and analyze the information. List the specific behaviors and describe where when and with whom the behavior is likely to occur. What consequences are usually administered? Keep anecdotal records so you can look for patterns and what triggers the behavior. Then figure out what strategies might be effective to avoid the behavior; for example, teach self-talk to students who are impulsive and organize the classroom environment to help hyperactive students. Consider making a contract with the student. Develop personal schedules for students who have difficulty making good use of their time. Consider implementing a token economy in which the teacher systematically awards or withdraws tokens or points for appropriate or inappropriate behavior. The student can redeem the tokens for something he wants such as privileges, desired activities, or food. Conflict resolution is a way to help students express their feelings and communicate better with others. We tend to see conflict as negative because of the disruption it causes in the classroom; however, conflict is neither good nor bad but simply a fact of life. According to Vollmer, Drook and Harned (1999) â€Å"Learning through social conflict is important to all human development† (p. 122). As children develop cognitive reasoning skills, they begin to see that others have perspectives, needs, and desires too. Early training with role plays and simulations will help them develop the social skills they need to maintain relationships. Students can be taught a process for resolution of conflict. One way is to use a large visual of a traffic light which shows the steps to conflict resolution and includes the words Cool down and Ground Rules (RED), Tell your side and Listen (YELLOW), and Brainstorm and Ideas (GREEN). A turn arrow at the bottom has the words Choose solution, and do it and Shake hands. Teachers report that students take more responsibility and often initiate conflict-resolution strategies on their own after learning and practicing this system (Vollmer, Drook & Harned, 1999, p. 124). The teacher should provide a quiet place in the room where students can work things out when they have a conflict. Once they have mastered a structured routine for conflict management, it will be unnecessary for the teacher to get involved. Classroom management is a challenge that requires the teacher to put his or her heart into it. An ancient Chinese proverb states that a student only learns from a teacher who loves home. In other words, a child needs to feel accepted and that the teacher cares about him or her. All children have basic needs–physical needs, safety needs, and social needs–that must be met before they can feel free to learn and develop to their true potential. If their needs are met and a positive learning environment is created, they will learn and be eager to participate. Therefore, the teacher's goal should be, not to fill their heads with specific information, but to make learning possible in a calm, structured, safe, and flexible environment and help them gain the skills to go after knowledge. The Importance of Comprehensive Classroom Management The teacher is a manger. The organization he or she manages is a group of students from diverse backgrounds and with differing skills and abilities. Some are already eager learners, while others have to be awakened to the joys and satisfactions of learning. Still others have special problems that must be dealt with effectively in order for them to learn and in order to maintain an environment conducive to learning for the whole group. It's important, first, to provide students with opportunities to learn about things that interest them and then, to find ways to introduce the learning that peaks the student's interest. If the teacher can find ways to relate the topic to the student's present experience, and provide interactive learning activities that the student can actively participate in, then the student will gain motivation. The physical environment plays a role in learning too. Some students learn better in different lighting (softer or brighter), sitting at a desk or lying on the floor, with music on or in perfect silence, in a warmer or cooler place, etc. The teacher can establish areas in the room that meet these different needs and styles of learning. Students who learn better lying down, for example, could bring mats to school that can be unrolled for study time. A small tent in the corner could provide the dimmer light some students need. A radio or CD player with earphones could be allowed during study time provided it truly helps the student to learn. The importance of reasonable rules that everyone understands can hardly be overestimated. On the first or second day of school the teacher could initiate an interactive discussion with the students about why rules are needed in the classroom. Let students share a few experiences that happened when there were no rules. Then, ask them to come up with no more than five rules for classroom behavior. They could each write down a rule or two they think is important on an index card, and the teacher could then let each person read what he/she wrote down. A list could be generated on the board. Or, they could start by brainstorming a list of every rule they can think of, then evaluate, eliminate, combine (just the word respect, for example, includes many rules), and whittle them down into three to five good rules. A student with good handwriting or an artistic bent could be chosen to make a large poster with the rules, or a bulletin board for classroom display where everybody can see it. Once the students have set their classroom rules, they are invested in them. I have tried this with grades 4-7 students, and it worked very well to establish an orderly learning environment. The students took the rules more seriously because they had had a say in setting them. It teaches democracy, too. If the students do not think of something the teacher considers important, the teacher can add it to their list and explain why. However, this is unlikely. In my experience, the student's rules tend to be very good-actually, the same rules I would have made myself, only they mean more to the students since they have developed them as a group and the rules are in their own words. Lane and Wehby (2005) report that 1% of school age children have been labeled emotionally disturbed and are receiving special education services because of it. They estimate an additional 2% to 16% of U. S. students who demonstrate anti-social behavior patterns such as defiance disorders or conduct disorders. When a student is oppositional or defiant, the teacher must be careful not to respond angrily and get into a confrontation. Teachers should be aware of their own triggers so that they can control their own behavior. This will help them to avoid a confrontation. It is best to remain calm and to diffuse the student's anger before it escalates into a crisis and/or violence. If a student refuses to do a certain task, offering an alternative choice may help, and it would be a good idea for the teacher always to have alternative tasks ready just in case-alternative activities that are still learning activities. A sense of humor may be a teacher's best defense when students are uncooperative. It is better to prevent escalation than to deal with a crisis later. One way to do this is to reinforce good behavior with praise, a smile, gesture, touch, â€Å"or a pleasant comment when they display unprompted, socially appropriate behavior† (Albin, 2003). Don't wait until students are disruptive to pay attention to them! Teachers should make the effort to notice and praise good behavior and reward it. Punishment is a negative way of dealing with problematic behavior. It may provide reinforcement for bad behavior if the reason the student is misbehaving is because he/she wants attention. If a student misbehaves because he doesn't want to do his work, and then gets sent out in the hall or to the office, then he gets what he wanted, and the bad behavior is reinforced. Rewards for positive behavior, such as time to do an activity the students loves, a toy or candy, or one-on-one time with the teacher (just to talk and visit for a few minutes) makes students happy to learn and to be in school. Punishment often produces resentment, and may make the student hate school. A student who hates school is not an eager learner, so punishment can be anti-productive (Peck & Scarpati (2005). Teachers commonly deal with difficult students by restricting them-the more intense the student's needs are, the more restriction–such as placing a child's desk toward the wall (Duhaney, 2003). However, a needs-based approach is more positive and effective and suggests recourse to greater resources. Perhaps the child needs to learn appropriate ways to handle anger and aggression, more problem-solving skills, or receive feedback for appropriate behaviors. If the child has trouble with self-control, instructional strategies could include modeling, role-play, and feedback to help him stay out of fights, solve problems, express anger appropriately, and deal with frustration. Without intervention students with or at risk for behavioral disorders are liable to experience many negative outcomes both in school and outside such as impaired social relationships, academic underachievement, and discipline problems (Lane, Wehby, & Barton-Arwood, 2005). Social skills interventions have been used and evaluated for more than 25 years, but their efficacy continues to be questioned. Researchers suggest that social skills training makes only a modest impact; however, most educators agree that not doing anything is worse. The ability to adapt and modify instruction is crucial to effectively educating these children. Before starting an intervention, it would be wise to gather information about the student, such as why, where and when he uses the particular behavior. Identify what social, affective, cultural, or contextual elements might be at work, and analyze the information. List the specific behaviors and describe where when and with whom the behavior is likely to occur. What consequences are usually administered? Keep anecdotal records so you can look for patterns and what triggers the behavior. Then figure out what strategies might be effective to avoid the behavior; for example, teach self-talk to students who are impulsive and organize the classroom environment to help hyperactive students. Consider making a contract with the student. Develop personal schedules for students who have difficulty making good use of their time. Consider implementing a token economy in which the teacher systematically awards or withdraws tokens or points for appropriate or inappropriate behavior. The student can redeem the tokens for something he wants such as privileges, desired activities, or food. Conflict resolution is a way to help students express their feelings and communicate better with others. We tend to see conflict as negative because of the disruption it causes in the classroom; however, conflict is neither good nor bad but simply a fact of life. According to Vollmer, Drook and Harned (1999) â€Å"Learning through social conflict is important to all human development† (p. 122). As children develop cognitive reasoning skills, they begin to see that others have perspectives, needs, and desires too. Early training with role plays and simulations will help them develop the social skills they need to maintain relationships. Students can be taught a process for resolution of conflict. One way is to use a large visual of a traffic light which shows the steps to conflict resolution and includes the words Cool down and Ground Rules (RED), Tell your side and Listen (YELLOW), and Brainstorm and Ideas (GREEN). A turn arrow at the bottom has the words Choose solution, and do it and Shake hands. Teachers report that students take more responsibility and often initiate conflict-resolution strategies on their own after learning and practicing this system (Vollmer, Drook & Harned, 1999, p. 124). The teacher should provide a quiet place in the room where students can work things out when they have a conflict. Once they have mastered a structured routine for conflict management, it will be unnecessary for the teacher to get involved. Classroom management is a challenge that requires the teacher to put his or her heart into it. An ancient Chinese proverb states that a student only learns from a teacher who loves home. In other words, a child needs to feel accepted and that the teacher cares about him or her. All children have basic needs–physical needs, safety needs, and social needs–that must be met before they can feel free to learn and develop to their true potential. If their needs are met and a positive learning environment is created, they will learn and be eager to participate. Therefore, the teacher's goal should be, not to fill their heads with specific information, but to make learning possible in a calm, structured, safe, and flexible environment and help them gain the skills to go after knowledge.

How to Land Your First Teaching Job

How to Land Your First Teaching Job Landing your first teaching job is not easy. It takes time, hard work and a lot of patience. Before you hit the ground running make sure you have the appropriate degree and credentials for the position you are applying for. Once thats all in order, follow these tips to help you get that dream job. Step 1: Create a Cover Letter Resumes have always been the most important piece of getting an employers attention. But when an employer has a stack of resumes to look through, how do you think yours will stand out? That is why a cover letter is essential to attach to your resume. It makes it easy for an employer to see if they even want to read your resume. It’s important to tailor your cover letter to the specific job you are applying for. Your cover letter should highlight your accomplishments and explain things that your resume cannot. If you have a special teaching certificate this is where you can add that. Make sure that you request an interview at the end of the cover letter; this will show them that you are determined to get that job. Step 2: Create Your Resume A well written, error-free resume will not only grab the attention of the prospective employer, but it will show them that you are a qualified contender for the job. A teacher resume should include identification, certification, teaching experience, related experience, professional development and related skills. You can add extras like activities, memberships, career objective or special honors and awards you received if you wish. Some employers look for certain teacher buzz words to see if you are in the loop. These words can include cooperative learning, hands-on learning, balanced literacy, discovery-based learning, Blooms Taxonomy, integrating technology, collaboration and facilitate learning. If you use these words in your resume and interview, it will show that you know what you are on top of issues in the education field. Step 3: Organize Your Portfolio A professional teaching portfolio is a great way to introduce your skills and achievements in a hands-on, tangible way. Its a way to showcase your best work to prospective employers beyond a simple resume. Nowadays its an essential component of the interview process. If you want to land a job in the education field, make sure you learn how to create and use a teaching portfolio. Step 4: Get Strong Letters of Recommendation For every teaching application you fill out, you will have to provide several letters of recommendation. These letters should be from professionals that have seen you in the education field, not from a family member or friend. The professionals you should ask can be your cooperating teacher, former education professor or instructor from student teaching. If you are in need of additional references you can ask a daycare or camp that you worked at. Make sure that these references are strong, if you think they do not do you justice, don’t use them. Step 5: Be Visible by Volunteering Volunteering for the school district you want to get a job in is the best way to be visible. Ask the administration if you can help out in the lunch room (schools can always use extra hands here) the library or even in a classroom that needs extra help. Even if it is only once a week it still is a great way to show the staff that you really want to be there and are making an effort. Step 6: Start Subbing in the District One of the best ways to get the attention of other teachers and the administration is to substitute in the district that you want to teach in. Student teaching is the perfect opportunity for you to get to your name out there and get to know the staff. Then, once you graduate you can apply to be a substitute in that school district and all the teachers that you networked with will call you to substitute for them. Tip: Make yourself a business card with your credentials and leave it on the desk of the teacher you subbed for and in the teachers lounge. Step 7: Get a Specialized Certification If you really want to stand out above the rest of the crowd then you should acquire a specialized teaching certification. This credential will show the prospective employer that you have a variety of skills and experience for the job. Employers will like that your knowledge will help enhance students learning. It also gives you the opportunity to apply for a variety of teaching jobs, not just one specific job. Now you are ready to learn how to ace your first teaching interview!

Federalist Number 18 essays

Federalist Number 18 essays I agree with Madison and Hamilton on federalist paper number eighteen. The main point of the paper is to stress, that if the thirteen colonies dont have some sort of laws amongst themselves they will never survive without fighting each other. Congress is unable to control all thirteen colonies and keep them from fighting. In the paper he compares the present day Confederation of the United States to that of ancient Greeces Amphictyonic council. The amphictyonic council of Greece had general authority to propose and resolve whatever it though necessary for the common welfare to Greece; decide to declare and carry on war; to decide all controversies between its members; to fine the aggressing party; to employ the whole force of the confederacy against the disobedient; and to admit new members. This seemed to work for some short time. This only lasted until the powers, much like those of todays congress were administered. This led to the destruction of the confederacy. After this separate members began to take over and run for several years. These members never stuck together in any situation. Even in the middle of wars they didnt pull together to help or support each other. They instead began tot urn on each other. The powerful members became jealous of each others powers and ambition, there were some members that didnt take part at all, and the smaller members were too weak to help out in any situation. The Achaean league was another society of Grecian Republics formed. This league was somewhat better than the ones before it. The union was far more intimate and its organization was much wiser. They had a senate who they assigned jobs too much like the present congress. It came to a point where one person was left in charge of the whole union and this did not work out. As you can see all of these methods failed. Much like those of today. If we do not have a strong central agency to pul...

23 Things Not To Say To Your Coworkers

23 Things Not To Say To Your Coworkers It’s important to get along with your coworkers. You don’t have to be best friends, but you do have to make sure you don’t alienate or offend anyone; you never know when you might need a favor or a contact or a helping hand. Here are 23 things you should absolutely avoid doing or saying at all costs. Keep your conversation non-contentious and keep your work life drama free.1. â€Å"How much do you make?†This is an awkward and unprofessional thing to ask. Even if your motives aren’t jealous and competitive, it puts everyone in an awkward position. If you really need to find out, there are probably other ways.2. â€Å"Can I borrow some money?†Okay, so you forgot your wallet in your car or in your other purse. Every once in a very little while it’s okay to ask someone to spot you, provided you pay them back the next day at the latest. But if you’re often â€Å"misplacing your wallet,† don’t be surprised if you never g et invited out for lunches or happy hours anymore.3. â€Å"Honestly†This little word can do a surprising amount of damage. If you feel the need to say it, people might wonder why. Are you not always speaking honestly?4. â€Å"Did you hear about†¦?†Just don’t gossip. It will only reflect badly on you in the long run. Especially if it’s a negative comment about a coworker. Keep your mouth shut and stay above the fray.5. â€Å"Those pants look great on you†Compliments are always nice, right? Just keep them neutral, and not based on someone’s appearance or physique. You never want to be accused of sexual harassment. Compliment someone’s earrings or briefcase instead.6. â€Å"You people always†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Any complaint that lumps people together- breastfeeding moms, religious people, political parties- is best never said out loud in the workplace. These kinds of comments can also get you in trouble for harassment.7. â€Å"When are you due?†If you haven’t explicitly been told by a woman that she is pregnant, don’t mention it- no matter how obvious you think it is. When she decides to share with you about her pregnancy, then (and only then) you can comment. This will save you from awkward moments when you make assumptions that don’t turn out to be true.8. â€Å"I’m sorry to bother you.†Why? If you’re really sorry, you won’t do whatever it is you’re going to do. Chances are, you have nothing to be sorry about. Try â€Å"Pardon me; do you have a sec?† instead.9. â€Å"I’m outta here†If you’re looking for another job, resist the temptation to ask your coworkers if they have any leads. At best, they’ll start writing you off as all but gone. And at worst, they’ll spill it to your boss.10. â€Å"Look at this rash.†Even if you think you have a fascinating medical problem, nobody at work really wants to be inv olved. It will probably just gross people out. Feel free to share if you have a headache, but not a boil or wart.11. â€Å"I think†Don’t preface everything with â€Å"I think,† particularly if you aren’t trying to express being unsure. If you know what you’re talking about, go ahead and say it directly.12. â€Å"Wow, I didn’t think you’d get that†Whether it’s a big project or promotion, you’ll win nothing expressing surprise that a coworker got chosen over you. The only acceptable answer here is â€Å"Congratulations.† Keep your shock to yourself.13. â€Å"When I’m in †¦ [insert fancy vacation spot]†If you’re lucky enough to be taking trips to fancy places, try not to brag. â€Å"While I’m away† is just fine for work purposes.14. â€Å"Am I invited?†Everyone is heading out to lunch and you’re still at your desk. Chances are, you weren’t invited. D on’t make things awkward. Give them a chance to ask you along, but if they don’t, then don’t make a scene.15. â€Å"Hook up†Even if you’re just innocently asking someone if they want to grab coffee over the weekend or after work, don’t use the words â€Å"hook up.† â€Å"Get together† will do just fine and spares you the weird sexual overtones.16. â€Å"They won’t miss these†You pocket some goodies from the snack room to take home to your roommates. All well and good unless you get caught- a fire-able offense. Never mind the fact that you shouldn’t steal from work; talking about it will only increase your chances of being caught.17. â€Å"My boyfriend blah blah blah†Constantly indulging personal details is not going to win you many work pals. It’s okay to talk about this with your actual pals, but keep your mouth shut when unsure of the company. You don’t want to be the TMI coworker vot ed â€Å"mostly likely to overshare.†18. â€Å"She took all the credit for my idea†Even if it’s true, you’ll look like a sore loser if you say it out loud. Keep it to yourself, or address the credit-stealer individually in a more appropriate circumstance.19. â€Å"Can I borrow your [personal toiletry]?†No coworker is close enough to share deodorant. Just don’t ask. If you need some, go buy it in your lunch break.20. â€Å"I’m suing.†Don’t make empty threats. If you have a legitimate grievance, talk to your lawyer about it, not your coworkers. Don’t compromise your case by blabbing off.21. â€Å"Your kid doesn’t seem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Just say no to ever making critical comments about your coworkers’ children. If you don’t have something nice to say about them, keep your mouth shut- or lose the popularity contest before you’ve even begun.22. â€Å"Maybe you should join a gym†Unless yo u’ve been asked directly for fitness or diet advice, don’t broach this subject with anyone. Even if you think a bit of exercise could help them. They will almost always be hurt.23. â€Å"When are you retiring anyway?†Answer: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Plus, it’s very unwise to make assumptions about a coworker’s age.

Competitiveness and investment attractiveness of the South African Essay

Competitiveness and investment attractiveness of the South African food retail industry - Essay Example By 2012, the SAFRI is expected to have a value of $98.1 billion which will be an increase of 32.7 percent over 2011 (Appendix A). While the above figures demonstrate the attractiveness of the market for investments, further evaluation would be conducted to determine the competitive advantage in investing in South Africa. This would be conducted through the extended model of Porter’s National Diamond. 2. Porter’s National Diamond The competitive advantage of an industry, according to Porter, derives from the national ‘diamond’. These four diamonds are the four determinants of competitive advantage created within the home base of the nation state – factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries, and firm strategy, structure and rivalry. The extended model of Porter’s National Diamond includes government and chance events. An important key feature of the model is that the determinants are supportive of each other and oper ate as a system (Clancy, O’Malley, O’Connell and Egeraat, 2001). This implies that there should be effective flow of information about needs, techniques and technology. Here geographic concentration is important because proximity facilitates flow of information. ... While the basic factors pertain to demographics, location and climate, the advanced factors include communications infrastructure, sophisticated skills and research facilities. South Africa’s population has surpassed 50 million and more than 90 percent of its population is non-white (Arisaig, 2012). Unemployment rate is 25.2 percent and the average life expectancy is only 57 years. Unequal distribution of wealth has resulted in the poorest ten percent earning just one percent of the total national income. Poor education system can be attributed to high rates in unemployment. However, the country has modern infrastructure and the retail sector is sophisticated although dominated by local products (Ntloedibe, 2012). The country also has a well developed communications network and electricity supply is also reliable. In addition, South Africa also has a network of merchant banks, brokers, and financial services specialists. Investments in technology and telecommunications are inc reasing which will enhance business infrastructure thereby enabling the companies to compete with the countries in the West (Maxwell, 2013). The southernmost country on the African continent, South Africa is one of the most economically prosperous nations in southern Africa due to its coastal location and presence of gold, diamonds and natural resources (Briney, 2012). However, climate change is prominent in South Africa and this impacts sourcing and transportation of agricultural products for retailers. One way to handle this is through adaptation by sourcing through several suppliers in vulnerable categories. Despite its coastal location, water is scarce and water security is a fundamental challenge faced by retailers. This requires the retailers to actively engage with suppliers for

Is increasing knowledge making life more worrying and uncertain in Essay

Is increasing knowledge making life more worrying and uncertain in contemporary society - Essay Example While knowledge has always existed, in the traditional society it was established knowledge. Knowledge society on the other hand refers to the change in knowledge in different fields like political, economical, social and cultural life. Knowledge is essential for every activity in life be it in the form of sophisticated academic knowledge in the form of text books like medical science to common sense like how to look after ourselves and our children. The speed at which knowledge is produced and disseminated across the globe has been the root cause of the change taking place in the society. Knowledge in the contemporary society takes different forms and it is created and disseminated through multiple sites. To conduct their daily lives, people seek knowledge on health, jobs and relationships. There are numerous advisers and counselors available apart from the myriad of information available on the internet. Experts are known by different high-sounding names like therapists and planners. Even in spiritualism and healthcare there is virtually knowledge explosion. In the field of technology, enormous changes in people’s lives can be seen. The personal computer externally looks the same and is made of the same metals that it was same say 5 years ago but is much more powerful. The input of human intelligence added to it ahs rendered it powerful. Technology is used to reduce costs in manufacturing sector, in marketing and distribution. Technology has led foreign firms to outsource their back-office operations to distant lands like India. Local firms now have global networks. Communication technologies have rendered distant and size of corporations insignificant. Economic changes have brought about changes in consumption pattern, increased purchasing power in the hands of the people and the markets have become consumer-driven. Despite all these changes and advancements, knowledge society has created a risk society which is associated with the growth of the

High altitude Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

High altitude - Essay Example The results, as illustrated in figure 1 and 2, showed that there are changes in the cardiovascular system after exercise. There is increased value in both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. The result regarding the blood pressure is consistent with other researches (Kelley & Kelley, 2000) which indicated that there is a progressive increase both the systolic and diastolic pressure. The result regarding heart rate is also consistent with several studies (Arroll & Beaglehole, 1992) which indicated that there should be an increase in the heart rate after exercise. These changes in the cardiovascular system can be associated with the increase in the release of adrenaline after exercise which can cause an increase in the heart rate and blood pressure (Van Hoof et al, 1989). Figure 1. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure at rest and after exercise. (x-axis: subject; y-axis: blood pressure) Figure 2. Heart rate measured in beats per minute at rest and after exercise (x-axis: subject; y-axis: bpm) Also, results showed that there are major changes in the respiratory system after exercise. One observation is that there is an increased value in the respiratory rate (Figure 3). This is consistent with other studies which also showed an increase in the respiratory rate (Posner et al, 1992). ... The decrease in the gas volume can be attributed to the fact that the muscle of for breathing do not work maximally. It is because during exercise, the priority for the supply of oxygen is given to the muscles at work (gastrocnemius, bicep femoris etc). And lastly, regarding the gas composition, it was observed that there is an increase in CO2 while a decrease in O2 after exercise (Figure 5). The increase in CO2 and decrease in O2 is obvious because after exercise because there is a lot of work done. This work utilized more O2 and produces more CO2 through aerobic metabolism (Posner et al, 1992). Figure 3. Respiratory rate measured in breaths per minute at rest and after exercise (x-axis: subject; y-axis: number of breaths per minute) Figure 4. Gas volume measured in liters per minute at rest and after exercise (x-axis: subject; y-axis: liters of gas per minute) Figure 5. Gas composition of O2 and CO2 at rest and after exercise (x-axis: subject; y-axis: percent composition of gas) Al though not observed in the results, there are also some changes in the nervous system after exercise. Physical activity can actually improve cognitive function (Hertzog et al, 2008). Moreover, exercise can also promote protection against neurodegenerative diseases like dementia (Clement et al, 2005). And lastly, exercise can also enhance the release of nerve growth factors, which help the process of neurogenesis (McAuley, 2004). In the report, it is also stated that the students from the football team will go to La Paz, Bolivia for a series of matches during the break. It should be considered that La Paz, Bolivia is located in a high altitude and this might imply some changes in the physiological activity of the body which should be anticipated. It should be noted